When it comes to intriguing career moves, PR account executive Marley Tinnock has it in the bag. In 2014, she left her role at Maxted Thomas PR to head to New York where she was employed as the associate editor at Stranded Media. Now, she’s leaving our shores once more to head to Geneva – where she will be working for the United Nations.
As she bid farewell to her current home at STARK MATTHEWS on Friday, BEAUTYDIRECTORY managed to catch Tinnock for five minutes to grill her on everything about the new opportunity...
Can you tell me about your new gig?
I'll be interning at the UNDP Office in Geneva, working with the media and communications team on branding, content development and public relations.
How did you come across this opportunity?
I've always tried to be a conscious consumer – which is why I've loved working with brands like , Burt's Bees and zk’in. After working for agencies like Maxted Thomas and STARK MATTHEWS, under the mentorship of hard-working, creative and inspiring people, I've been able to learn invaluable skills and meet wonderful people that have pushed me to see the sky as the limit. So one evening, I decided it was time. I filled in the application form and waited. An exam, a virtual trial and a couple of interviews later – I was invited to Geneva.
What will you be doing with the UN?
The media and communications team is responsible for developing global media and consumer campaigns – such as the COP21 Voices2Paris (which I assisted with remotely). This saw universities and journalism collectives come together in inviting journalists from climate-change-affected regions to submit their stories. Winners were selected and awarded mentorship with some of the world’s highest regarded environmental journalists; as well as an opportunity to attend and report on the COP21 summit. [The media and communications team] also develop content for the website and social channels, and manage public relations for the brands and sub-brands under the UNDP umbrella.
What attracted you to the role?
What better place to put my PR skills to the test than for one of the world's largest not-for-profit organisations? The opportunity to learn, grow and meet people with similar goals while working for such an amazing organisation was too valuable to pass up.
Will you be returning to PR in Australia following the role?
Beauty media and PRs alike are such a wonderful group of people that I've been lucky enough to work alongside for the past four and a half years. I'm not sure in what capacity, but I doubt that you've seen the last of me!
What are you hoping to take away from the internship?
The experience offers me the chance to find a new perspective, a new approach to a set of skills I'm already proud to have acquired. On a global stage, I invite the challenges and hope that overcoming them can help me to become a better communications specialist.
Where can we expect to see you in five years time?
Hopefully I'll be working for an organisation – if not the UN, perhaps another not-for-profit or a brand with values and an ethos I relate to. I hope I'll continue to be involved in beauty – in one way or another.
